Parallax-free optical zone marker

ABSTRACT

A parallax-free optical zone marker for use in radial karatotomy cornea surgery for impressing a temporary circular indentation into the cornea, the circular indentation to be used as a reference for radial incisions therefrom. The marker, integrally molded, includes an elongated handle and a collar portion disposed at one end of the handle. The lower end margin of the collar is preferrably circular an adapted to impress the circular indentation into the cornea with normal hand pressure applied through the handle. A passageway extends through the collar from its upper end margin to its lower end margin. Disposed within the passageway are a pair of crossplanes intersecting, preferably at ninety degrees one to another, along the longitudinal axis of the passageway, which axis intersects the center of the circular lower end margin. These crossplanes extend along substantially the entire length of the passageway but not to the lower end margin of the collar so as to prevent contact of the crossplanes with the cornea. The intersection of the crossplanes provides the user with viewable alignment means for assisting in the accurate orientation of the circular indentation. These crossplanes preferably taper in thickness toward their intersection for enhanced accuracy in the placement of the circular indentation. The marker is molded preferably of plastic in a wide range of sizes and may also be molded of clear or translucent material to increase light availability to the cornea as the circular indentation is made.

BACKGROUND

This invention relates generally to radial keratotomy, and more particularly to optical zone markers in conjunction with such eye cornea surgical procedures.

Radial keratotomy is a relatively new surgical procedure for reducing myopia. Incisions are made in the cornea radially extending from the optical clear zone which tend to flatten the corneal surface, thereby reducing near sightedness and the cornea's optical power. Astigmatism may also be reduced in a similar procedure by placing the incisions in such a way that the cornea will flatten along one axis only. Although this procedure is widely practiced, long term effectiveness and safety have not been established.

Properly identifying and marking the opticl center of the visual axis of the patient's eye is a most important step in the preparation of the eye for surgery. If the optically clear zone to be later marked is only slightly decentered, the end of the radial incisions later made may encroach on the visual axis and increase the potential for problems of glare and astigmatism may also be induced. Prior to the marking of the center of the visual axis, the visual axis of the eye must be determined utilizing one of several well-known techniques. After the mark is accurately placed onto the patient's eye prior to surgery, an optical zone marker, properly sized to equal the diameter of the optically clear zone, is used by pressing it into the cornea, centered around the optical center mark, to cause a temporary circular indentation in the cornea to guide the placement of incisions.

To reiterate, radial keratotomy involves the making of incisions into the cornea radially extending from the optical center of the eye. However, these incisions do not extend to the optical center, but rather extend from a circle having its center at the optical center of the eye. The diameter of the circle from which the incisions radially extend varies depending on the scope of the corrective surgery required and the diameter of the patient's optical clear zone. Impinging on that optical clear zone by incision is one of the primary causes of post surgical glare problems.

Properly sized optical zone markers, then, are designed to be pressed onto the cornea around the optical center mark. These markers, which are primarily circular, but may also be oval, usually have a device such as a needle tip or cross hair to indicate the exact center of the circular marking edge for precise alignment on the cornea. The original tube-like optical zone markers in variously modified forms have been designed by Drs. Fyodorov, Hoffer, Berkeley and Thornton.

A primary problem with conventional optical zone markers results from binocular parallax as a result of the thickness of the outer tubular portion in relation to the cross hair or needle tip identifying its center. Again, serious degradation of the patient's eye may result if the optical zone mark imposed on the cornea is not accurately positioned in relation to the optical center of the eye.

An early technique for reducing this binocular parallax problem was achieved by reducing the length of the marker portion of optical zone markers, which have now been reduced down to about one millimeter long. Such markers are available from Storz, model number E-9030 in various diameters. It should be noted that this dimensional change only reduces, but does not eliminate, parallax error. Additionally, the cross hairs of some such devices have been known to inadvertently contact the cornea because the device was too short.

Nonetheless, because many optical zone markers continue to incorporate fine wire cross hairs to identify the center of the circular marker tube, the parallax problem remains as an element of inaccurate placing of the optical zone mark with such devices. These currently available instruments, having either cross hairs, needle point, or a centered ring within the generally circular marker tube to assist in aligning the instrument with the optical eye center and providing only one point in the vertical plane to be used in aligning the optical zone marker directly above the optical center, must be used extremely carefully while nonetheless running the risk of misalignment.

An additional problem associated with currently available optical zone markers resides in the user's requirement to have a wide range of sizes of such markers available from three millimeters to eight millimeters in diameter in one quarter millimeter increments. Because the currently available instruments are made of surgical stainless steel and are extremely expensive to manufacture, a complete set of such optical zone markers is extremely expensive.

Surgical stainless steel optical zone markers which include attached stainless steel cross hairs, include the inherent additional limitation that, after repeated use, the center sighting means may become loosened from the cylindrical tubular portion and have been known to fall into the patient's eye during surgery or be found inoperative when required.

A further problem resides in the fact that, as conventional optical zone markers are lowered close to the cornea's surface, the tubular portion of the marker, made of surgical steel, blocks out the available light striking the center portion of the cornea, thus reducing the visibility of the corneal surface. This further increases the difficulty of proper orientation prior to indenting the cornea.

The present invention provides features which overcome all of the above limitations. The parallax problem is virtually eliminated by the structure of the present invention; the cost of manufacturing a utilized injection molded part is insignificant and may be manufactured of various sizes inexpensively; the marker may be molded of clear material to reduce the light-obliterating limitation of surgical steel markers; manufacturing tolerances are at least as accurate, if not more so, than those found in conventional surgical stainless steel markers; the cross hairs, because integrally molded, virtually eliminate the possibility of these cross members falling into the patient's eye.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention is directed to a parallax-free optical zone marker for use in radial keratotomy cornea surgery for impressing a temporary circular indentation into the cornea, the circular indentation to be used as a reference for radial incisions therefrom. The marker, integrally molded, includes an elongated handle and a collar portion disposed at one end of the handle. The lower end margin of the collar is preferably circular an adapted to impress the circular indentation into the cornea with normal hand pressure applied through the handle. A passageway extends through the collar from its upper end margin to its lower end margin. Disposed within the passageway are a pair of crossplanes intersecting, preferably at ninety degrees one to another, along the longitudinal axis of the passageway, which axis intersects the center of the circular lower end margin. These crossplanes extend along substantially the entire length of the passageway but not to the lower end margin of the collar so as to prevent contact of the crossplanes with the cornea. The intersection of the crossplanes provides the user with viewable alignment means for assiting in the accurate orientation of the circular indentation. These crossplanes preferably taper in thickness toward their intersection for enhanced accuracy in the placement of the circular indentation. The marker is molded preferably of plastic in a wide range of sizes and may also be molded of cler or translucent material to increase light availability to the cornea as the circular indentation is made.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an integrally molded optical zone marker which is virtually parallax free in use when locating a circular indentation for radial keratotomy surgery.

It is another object of this invention to provide an inexpensively molded optical zone marker in a wide variety of sizes.

It is another object of this invention to provide an optical zone marker which is single use.

It is another object of this invention to provide an integrally molded optical zone marker which virtually eliminates the possibility of the internal alignment means becoming detached either prior to or during surgery and falling into the patient's eye.

It is another object of this invention to provide an optical zone marker which permits light transmission into the collar and onto the cornea for more accurate placement of the circular indentation.

It is another object of this invention to provide an integrally molded optical zone marker which incorporates inherent manufacturing accuracy in the sizing, shaping and positioning of the lower end margin of the marker portion in relation to the viewable alignment crossplanes.

In accordance with these and other objects which will become apparent hereinafter, the instant invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the marker portion and lower end of the handle disposed therefrom.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the invention in relationship to the cornea of an eye shown in phantom.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the collar portion of the invention in the direction of arrows 3--3 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the collar portion of the invention in the direction of arrows 4--4 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a section view in the direction of arrows 5--5 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a view of the collar portion of the invention in the direction of arrows 6--6 in FIG. 1 to demonstrate the anti-parallax features of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1-5, the invention is shown generally at 10 and includes a handle 16 and a collar portion (or collar) 12 interconnected by lower handle portion 14. The preferred embodiment of the invention is integrally molded of plastic, wherein the collar portion 12 includes a tubular-shaped portion 30 within which is disposed a pair of crossplanes 22.

The crossplanes 22 are inwardly extending from the inner walls of tubular portion 30 to merge and interconnect along axis 24 which is centered within the cylindrical passageway 26 extending within the length of tubular portion 30. Tubular portion 30 has an upper end margin 20 and a lower end margin 18. As best seen in FIG. 5, the tubular portion 30 thickness tapers from its upper end margin 20 to its lower end margin 18 such that edge 34 is sufficiently sharp to impress into the cornea C a circular indentation when the marker 10 is pressed thereagainst by normal hand pressure via handle 16 as shown in FIG. 2.

This indentation impressed into the cornea C, as previously discussed, must be critically aligned to have its center coinciding with the visual axis of the eye. The user, having previously examined the eye, selects a particular size marker 10 which is provided in a variety of lower end margin 18 circular sizes. Prior to cornea C indentation, the user must aling the crossplane axis 24 with a preestablished marking representing the optical center of te eye. Enhanced by optical devices, nonetheless, the positioning of the lower end margin 18 is still accomplished visually by the sight aligning of axis 24 with the eye's optical center. To enhance the alignability of the invention, while maintaining strength of attachment of the crossplanes 22 to the inside of tubular portion 30, the thickness of the crossplanes 22 decreases toward the axis 24. Thus, the overall blocking effect of the crossplanes 22 is reduced substantially so as to increase the viewability of, and alignment with, the marking of the eye's optical center on the cornea C.

Because the cornea C has curvature, and because the only indentation desired in the cornea C is a circular indentation, the crossplanes terminate at the lower edge margin 28 slightly from the lower end margin 18 as best shown in FIG. 5. By this arrangement, then, a recess 32 is provided to insure that the lower edge margin 28 of the crossplanes 22 does not come in contact with the cornea C of the eye.

One of the important features of the present invention is in its ability to eliminate parallax error in aligning the circular lower end margin 18 with the optical center of the eye. Toward that end, the crossplanes 22 extend over substantially the entire length of the tubular portion 30, except for recess 32 as described hereinabove. Thus, the upper edge margins of the crossplanes 22 are in alignment with the upper end margin 20 onnected to node 12 for supplying a voltage on output terminal 7 to node 12 when input signals V_(E) and V_(D) are low and high, respectively. N-channel transistors 21 and 22 have their drains connected to node 12, their sources connected to voltage terminal 6, and their gates connected to node 9 and input terminal 4, respectively, for removing a voltage from node 12 when either node 9 or enable input signal V_(E) are high.

NPN transistor 8 has a collector connected to voltage terminal 5, an emitter connected to output terminal 7, and a base connected to node 9. NPN transistor 11 has a collector connected to output terminal 7, an emitter connected to voltage terminal 6, and a base connected to node 12. Transistors 8 and 11 provide voltage V_(DD) minus the base-emitter voltage of transistor 8, voltage V_(SS) plus the base-emitter voltage of transistor 11, or a high impedance at output terminal 7 depending on the voltage state of nodes 9 and 12.

When enable input signal V_(E) is low, transistors 13 and 17 are on and transistors 16 and 22 are off, thereby allowing the state of data input signal V_(D) determine the state of output signal V_(O). When data input signal V_(D) is low, transistor 14 is on, and transistors 15 and 19 are off providing voltage V_(DD) minus the base-emitter voltage of transistor 8 to output terminal 7. Transistor 21 is on, thereby ensuring transistor 11 is off. When data input signal V_(D) is high, transistors 14 and 21 are off, and transistors 15 and 19 are on so that output voltage V_(O) goes to voltage V_(SS) plus the base-emitter voltage of transistor 11.

When enable input signal V_(E) is high, transistors 13 and 17 are off and transistors 16 and 22 are on, thereby disconnecting output terminal 7 from either of voltage terminals 5 or 6, providing a high impedance at output terminal 7.

Although NPN transistors are shown, it is understood that PNP transistors may be substituted in their place. Furthermore, P-channel transistors may be used in place of N-channel transistors and N-channel transistors may be used in place of P-channel transistors with slight modifications in the circuit.

By now it should be appreciated that there has been provided a BICMOS three state gate having high noise immunity, low power requirements, high drive capability, and improved output signal switching characteristics. 

We claim:
 1. A BICMOS logic circuit comprising:a first input terminal; a second input terminal; an output terminal; a first voltage terminal; a second voltage terminal; a first bipolar transistor having its collector-emitter path coupled between said first voltage terminal and said output terminal and having a base; a second bipolar transistor having its collector-emitter path coupled between said output terminal and said second voltage terminal and having a base; a first CMOS transistor having its source-drain current path coupled between said first voltage terminal and said base of said first bipolar transistor and a gate; a second CMOS transistor having its source-drain current path coupled between said said base of said first bipolar transistor and said second voltage terminal and a gate; a third CMOS transistor having a gate, a source and a drain; a fourth CMOS transistor having its source-drain current path coupled between said base of said second bipolar transistor and said second voltage terminal and a gate coupled to said base of said first bipolar transistor; first transmission means coupled between said first input terminal and said gates of said first, second, and third CMOS transistors and coupled to said second input terminal for coupling said first input terminal to said gates of said first, second and third CMOS transistors in response to an input signal on said second input terminal; a fifth CMOS transistor having its source-drain current path coupled between said first voltage terminal and said gate of said first CMOS transistor and a gate coupled to said second input terminal; a sixth CMOS transistor having its source-drain current path coupled to said source-drain current path of said third CMOS transistor, said source-drain current paths of said third and sixth CMOS transistors coupled between said output terminal and said base of said second bipolar transistor, and a gate coupled to said second input terminal; and a seventh CMOS transistor having its source-drain current path coupled between said base of said second bipolar transistor and said second voltage terminal and a gate coupled to said said second input terminal.
 2. The BICMOS logic circuit according to claim 1 further comprising an inverter coupled between said second input terminal and said gate of said fifth CMOS transistor.
 3. The BICMOS logic circuit according to claim 1 further comprising second transmisison means coupled between said base of said first bipolar transistor and said output terminal and coupled to said second input terminal for increasing the voltage swing on said output terminal.
 4. A BICMOS logic circuit comprising:a first input terminal; a second input terminal; an output terminal; a first voltage terminal; a second voltage terminal; a first bipolar transistor having its collector-emitter path coupled between said first voltage terminal and said output terminal and having a base; a second bipolar transistor having its collector-emitter path coupled between said output terminal and said second voltage terminal and having a base; a first CMOS transistor having a gate coupled to said first input terminal and a source-drain current path; a second CMOS transistor having its source-drain current path coupled between said base of said first bipolar transistor and said second voltage terminal and a gate coupled to said first input terminal; a third CMOS transistor having a gate coupled to said input terminal and a source-drain current path; and a fourth CMOS transistor having its source-drain current path coupled between said base of said second bipolar transistor and said second voltage terminal and a gate coupled to said first input terminal; a fifth CMOS transistor having a gate coupled to said second input terminal and its source-drain current path coupled to said source-drain current path of said first CMOS transistor, said source-drain current path of said third and sixth CMOS transistors coupled between said first voltage terminal and said base of said first bipolar transistor; a sixth CMOS transistor having its source-drain current path coupled between said base of said first bipolar transistor and said second voltage terminal and a gate coupled to said second input terminal; a seventh CMOS transistor having a gate coupled to said second input terminal and its source-drain current path coupled to said source-drain current path of said third CMOS transistor, said source-drain current paths of said third and seventh CMOS transistors coupled between said output terminal and said base of said second bipolar transistor; and an eighth CMOS transistor having its source-drain current path coupled between said base of said second bipolar transistor and said second voltage terminal and a gate coupled to said base of said first bipolar transistor.
 5. The BICMOS logic circuit according to claim 4 further comprising an inverter coupled between said first input terminal and said gate of said third CMOS transistor. 